Day 5 - Co Kerry, Hertz, and Stitches

Lenda - Up at 7am contacting Hertz roadside emergency. Nearest car at Kerry Airport, 100% back-tracking the Lakes of Kilarney.  Decided to look at the sights again (from a different direction) and spent 2 hours at the Kerry airport awaiting a new Ford.  We will not be charged - just inconvenienced.  Back on the road for an "anti-clockwise" (or as we say counter-clockwise) run at the Ring of Kerry with our destination?  The Ballycarbery Castle now made famous in the movie "Leap Year".  Found this beautiful, ivy-covered limestone place next to the ocean.  Truly awesome.  Really exciting as Diane was able to climb up to the top with a boost from me where the steps were missing.  While she was upstairs exploring, I decided to check out the lower level.  Took some pictures of the fascinating way the slender limestone slabs were aligned one to the other.  Decided to head outside to spot Diane at the top.  Careful to step over the stones on the floor - not so careful to remember the Irish saying "Mind your head".  Crack! My head connected with the sharp ceiling stones and I knew immediately I had split my head.  Continued outdoors, hand to the gash thinking don't pass out yet.  Diane to the rescue plus a lovely tourist RN from Canada saw me weaving about.  Compression for the bleeding, water washing, driving to Diane's GPS-located MD, stitches and a tetanus shot later, I'm fine with a compelling need to wear Mike's Irish cap to cover the gash and stitches.  The physician wanted to know what made the cut so clean, "Looks like it was cut with a scalpel".  God, what an igot (Irish way of saying idiot).  Only $80 euros so I really can't complain.  At least the top of my new physician-bad haircut now matches the back of my bad Fantastic Sam haircut.

But, pressing on, we're now in Dingle for two nights, just finished dinner, having an Irish Coffee (me) and a pint of Harp (Diane), and the traditional music is about to start.  Nice end to a trying day.  What an igot.  Diane is a great support for me, and even brushed my hair.

Tomorrow we explore the Dingle Peninsula, see famine farms, and beautiful but unforgiving hillsides that didn't produce the life-sustaining potatoes which resulted in the great famine of 1845-1850